R.J.

If the Cubs get Jake Peavy for a song and the White Sox start the year with Jeff Marquez in the rotation and a clown car filled with Fields/Owens/Betemit/Nix/Getz, I am just going to snap.

A little late, but that Greinke/Francoeur rumor can't be true can it? That's a ridiculous steal.

I've never seen a convincing argument that fast guys create runs. That's such a horrendous misconception.

guys, they just get REALLY EXCITED about baseball, ok?

The deadline to accept or reject is tonight at (I'm going to guess) midnight. After reading up a little bit, the only players who are likely to accept the offer of arbitration are Darren Oliver (LAA) and Brandon Lyon (ARI). I still think there's no way OC takes this offer, at all.

Saying that losing Sabathia and Sheets would give the Brewers no reason to compete in 2009, or at least dimish their need of a big time closer, is kind of a loaded statement. Do you think they believe they aren't going to compete? I think that losing those two arms only makes Gallardo and Parra more essential to their team (meaning they aren't being traded, sorry). Mat Gamel is their third baseman in waiting. They don't really have a decent option there besides him. They have three infielders - Hardy, Weeks, and Escobar. Now which one would you be willing to trade? If you think it's Escobar you're just off base. He's the one they're trying to bring into the fold. Rickie Weeks is the odd man out here. His numbers have nowhere reflected his talent, and he lost playing time last year due to nagging injuries and Ray Durham (!!!). He's going to be moved if someone wants him. So take those guys (Gallardo, Escobar, Gamel, Parra) out of the picture, as well as Corey Hart, and then see if there's anything we could use from them in a Jenks trade. I'm betting those are the guys we asked about. I'm betting the Brewers would rather part with Weeks, Hall, Gwynn, Jefress, and Gillespie. It's been alluded to, but the closer market is still wide open. No one has gone anywhere. Besides the free agents (K-Rod, Fuentes, Wood, Hoffman, Isringhahaha sorry) there are plenty of teams willing to move their 9th inning guys (Jenks, Putz, Valverde) so the market is saturated. Bobby's not worth as much now as he might be if some team in need of a closer gets outbid on other guys. Trading him now would be settling for a smaller package than he's worth (Swisher).

Regardless of our thoughts on Escobar's value or where he'll end up, the Brewers value him as a top tier guy. Weeks/Villanueva sounds eerily close.

You should all cross Gallardo, Escobar, and Hart off your wish lists. Each has more value than Jenks.

Offering arbitration was the right move. If it backfires, Cabrera can still be moved - even later in the offseason. All these teams that are saying they don't need shortstops or are "seriously considering signing Adam Everett" might start panicking when they get to spring training and see some of these guys hit. Cabrera is still a top 15 shortstop.

Maybe Kenny is going to flip Cantu to the Padres for Jake Peavy.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 03:59 AM) He won't...they asked for Jonathan Sanchez for him. Well, this is the perfect time to convince some poor team that Lance Broadway was worth a first round pick.

Cantu's a pretty mediocre option (I like the term "not threadworthy") but if he'd come as cheap as Wilingham and Olsen, then come along.

QUOTE (Wanne @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 09:54 PM) So if OC accepts arb., takes it and bolts next year...what kind of picks do the Sox get? Obviously not LAs anymore....would it be 2 sammy's? The process would repeat next year.

One of the worst names I've ever heard.

An infield of OC/Alexei is an upgrade over an infield of Alexei/Getznixlillemit, I'll give you that.

Orlando Cabrera for Delmon Young!

No way he accepts. Seriously. He's saying he might to rile everyone up and get some team to step up with a multiyear deal.

I'm not terribly fond of picking up Daniel Cabrera, I just accept it as an inevitability.

God bless you all for being so optimistic. Gavin Floyd at least kept an ERA under 3.50 (and a respectable K/9) before sniffing the major leagues with the White Sox. He's the exception, not the rule. Saying you're going to reward this kid with a rotation spot after he posted the worst professional season of his career is just stupid. Tell it like it is: right now, he's our best option, so we had better find 4 more guys better than him to keep him off our team. Forgive me: I have no confidence in this kid, nor do I feel we should at this point. We're not the Washington Nationals. We have to assume we'll be able to do better than this. There's nothing wrong with trying to develop a failed prospect in AAA and hoping for some turn around, but come on, you don't take this kid and anoint him a major league starter. Most of us are smart enough to hear these things being stated in the media and know that they're just trying not to tip their hand when it comes to fiture transactions, but for heaven's sake someone might actually believe him.

Marquez is going to get torched if he can't throw something besides a 90 mph sinker. I have to believe that they're only pushing him as their 5th starter because they haven't acquired the real guy yet. I don't care how gook he "looks" in the AFL (where he posted an ERA of 5.63), what about his numbers last season suggests he's anywhere ready to handle major league hitters?

So to be clear, this is who we want to make Cabrera an offer: 1. Dodgers 2. Cardinals 3. Blue Jays 4. Twins 5. Angels And these are the teams we want to stay away: 1. Mariners 2. Orioles 3. Giants 4. Braves 5. Tigers 6. Athletics That is, if you care about 20 or so spots in the draft order. And I do.

It doesn't mean he won't go there, but it means that he'd have to agree to it beforehand and could demand that the Mets either pick up his option or negotiate an extension.

I'm sure that if OC accepts arbitration we'll be able to trade him.* *for practically nothing in return for some team taking his salary off our hands

QUOTE (scenario @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 08:42 PM) "Reports are now that Boone Logan is also gone. Like the end of The Godfather, Ken Williams is whacking all that have failed him." I hope Jermaine Dye doesn't get the Moe Greene special.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 07:05 PM) You do not lose your #1 pick if it is within the top 15. If you're sitting at #16 and you sign a type A FA, you lose your pick. Ok that's about what I thought. So if the Orioles at #5 sign Cabrera, do we get two picks tacked on at the end of the first round? Two sandwich picks? I think the Dodgers at #17 need a shortstop... come on guys, pick up the phone, bring OC to the OC.